WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, OCTOBER 25, 2023

MASS READINGS:

Gospel

Lk 12:39-48

Jesus said to his disciples: "Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come." Then Peter said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?" And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master's will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master's will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more."

REFLECTION

"Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more."

In his book, Preparation for Death, St Alphonsus Liguori has a chapter: "Let us Labor to Save our Souls". He states the obvious-- that in a few years or months or days, we will become "rottenness and worms". Death seems to be happening to the other person or the other family so some of us don't take the eminence of death seriously. But all must end and once the door to the other world is opened, we will be faced with either losing our soul or spending eternity with God. The time is now to act as no one knows when the Son of Man will come in judgment. We must be awake and alert and plan now for heaven.

A question quoted by St Laurence Justinian in this same book, "If you were already dead, what would you not desire to have done?" gives me a great deal of introspection. We, who are still living, ask--what will we do to guarantee eternal glory?

Jesus has conquered evil, destroyed death and given us triumphant hope to make it to heaven. What is it that the Lord expects? He has given us the grace, the gifts, the mercy and love. We need to say "yes" and have full confidence in the Lord's love and mercy that we will seek Him and find Him, repent and be forgiven, and give ourselves entirely to Him. He will not abandon us as He has given us His divine life through the Holy Spirit to help us in this journey. We need to be be awake, alert and prepared.

What needs to be done? Pray, sacrifice, make amends, love God and our neighbor, do His Will. Use all our God given gifts for fruit bearing. Remain in holy works.

"Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is there also will your heart be."

Luke 12: 32-34

May we respond generously to all the good things that God has given us and remember all He has taught us. Persevere in prayer, sacrifice and trust.

God Bless You